Last week, Rachel and I decided to conduct an experiment to put our theories to the test. You met our testees, Linda (my sister) and Dustin (a friend / Comedy Nerd extraordinaire). They explained which foods they like (pasta), which they hate (almost all veggies), and then you guys gave tons of fantastic suggestions about how to feed them. They included:

Juice: “Roasted cauliflower with parm cheese. … Or puree a veggie into some pasta sauce, or zucchini bread.”

Kitchen Bitsch: ‘I do think that a lasagne or quiche could be a way to start. If all else fails, deep fry.”

Here's how it went down: we served Dustin and Linda five separate courses. They didn’t know what was in them beforehand, and recorded their ratings (from 1 to 10) and impressions after each one. We also had two Control Group members (The Boyfriend and Dustin’s wife J) to ensure that the recipes were, in fact, palatable.

So ... was the food any good? Do Dustin and Linda now like vegetables? Did either of them throw anything at me? Read on to find out the results, along with the recipes, the principles we followed from LtLFYHaHGfFE, and everyone’s reaction to each dish...

DUSTIN: I felt like it only showed you can make inferior versions of food that people might be okay with.

LINDA: Fine, but I’m still hungry.

CONTROL GROUP: “It was yummy.” “I eat anything.”

Do you feel the experimenters tried to accommodate your tastes? Why or why not?

DUSTIN: It made an attempt – except for the pasta. That was just bad.

LINDA: Yes. All the foods were dressed as something I would eat.

CONTROL GROUP: “It was innovative, which is good.” “No. I like spicier, richer tastes.”

Will this change the way you eat (in any capacity) in the future?

DUSTIN: Nope. But you knew that going in.

LINDA: I think I may try zucchini in the future.

CONTROL GROUP: “I am already very open in my eating choices, but I think I will explore even more.” “No.”

MY THOUGHTS

I went into the experiment hoping Lin would like three dishes, and Dustin wouldn’t puke. Based on those expectations, I’m pretty happy. Yeah, the pasta sauce was a bust (and how!), but the potatoes and bread went over much better than I anticipated. (They were BY FAR the unhealthiest dishes, so I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised.) That Lin is willing to try zucchini now is just an added bonus.

Ultimately, I think the initial article still holds up. Getting someone to reconsider a food they hate is a tough process, and takes persistence and creativity. But you have to start somewhere. Maybe with a zucchini bread?

We end with two quick semi-confidential notes to readers:

I Heart Kale! I made kale pesto. I loved it, but thought it was a bit too strong-flavored for our eaters. Instead, The Boyfriend and I will be feasting on it tonight. Thank you!

Watershed! I had every intention of making Sweet Potato Ravioli but couldn’t find wonton wrappers ANYWHERE. Where do you get these things? There are two pounds of sweet potatoes sitting in my pantry that would love to know.

**Same as last week, less-than-charitable criticism will be deleted immediately.**